On 10th January, the lads from Man v Fat Carlisle will be taking on a monumental 48-mile walk to support our teammate Glen and his wife Laura.

Laura is facing an extremely rare cancer. Only around 48 cases a year are diagnosed. She's now travelling between Carlisle and Newcastle for intensive chemotherapy and doing everything she can to put the illness into hibernation for as long as possible. Glen is still turning up to play when he can and the whole club wanted to show that the family is not facing this alone.

So we're walking 48 miles together. One mile for every case each year.

Why this challenge matters

Man v Fat is a place where men work on their physical and mental health together. Our players joined when they were unfit or struggling with their mental health, or both.

Some are still early in their journey. Others have made big steps already. But every week we show up, play football and support each other.

That is what makes this challenge powerful.

A group of lads who are or have been overweight choosing to take on a mammoth 48 miles in winter for one of our own.

It's tough, it's risky, it is way outside our comfort zone, but it shows exactly what this club is about. When someone needs support, we are there.

The Challenge

We start in Elterwater in the Lake District and make our way back to Carlisle over five continuous stages. The route links sections of the Cumbria Way and surrounding trails. It covers valleys, fells, lanes and farmland and gives us a meaningful journey back to Harraby 3G, where we play each week.

Players can join at any stage but everyone finishes together.

Stage 1: Elterwater to Rosthwaite. 11.2 miles. A steady start through the Langdale and Borrowdale valleys.

Stage 2: Rosthwaite to Keswick. 7.6 miles. A climb out of Borrowdale with a welcome descent into Keswick.

Stage 3: Keswick to Nether Row. 12.3 miles. The longest stretch of the day with big views and a proper test of the legs.

Stage 4: Nether Row to Dalston. 11.3 miles. Quiet lanes and farmland as we start pushing towards Carlisle.

Stage 5: Dalston to Harraby 3G. The final push where everyone can cross the finish line together.

Across the full route we cover roughly 9472 ft of elevation. It is a serious challenge, especially for a group like ours, but it feels right to do something that takes effort and commitment.

Why we are raising money

Laura and Sarcoma UK are fundraising for research into this rare cancer. The more support we receive, the more awareness and progress there can be for other families facing the same diagnosis. Every donation on this page goes directly to the cause.

If you can spare a few pounds, it would mean the world to everyone taking part and to Glen and Laura.

How you can help

- Donate whatever you can

- Share this page with friends and family

- Follow our updates as we prepare for the 48 mile challenge

Together we can make a real difference.